Silent Friend, directed by Ildikó Enyedi
By Rita di Santo
Ildikó Enyedi, a prominent figure in contemporary Hungarian cinema, has been challenging cinematic conventions since the late 1970s. With a background in both contemporary and conceptual art, she embarked on her film career in 1984, producing short films that explore the interplay between dreams and reality. Her feature film, My Twentieth Century (Az én XX), reflects on technological advancement and societal transformation.
Enyedi’s oeuvre, including On Body and Soul (Teströl és lélekröl) a Golden Bear recipient and, The Story of My Wife (A Feleségem Történet), is renowned for its intricate aesthetics and intimate storytelling, exploring emotions as connections between the visible and invisible.
Whether crafting love stories or dramas, her films consistently highlight her distinctive style and conceptual approach to cinema. Born in 1955, she continually reinvents her aesthetic, approaching cinema with innovative perspectives.
This year, her latest film, Silent Friend (Stille Freundin), showcased at the Venice Film Festival, offers a profound exploration of the intricate interrelations that connect humans to their environment. The narrative examines our intrinsic inclination to comprehend ‘the other,’ which encompasses not only the natural world, but also our fellow human beings. This fundamental drive to establish connections and attain understanding serves as a central theme throughout the film.
Beyond its serious thematic undertones, Silent Friend skilfully integrates elements of humour, enhancing the film’s relatability and emotional resonance. This harmonious interplay between weighty subject matter and comedic interludes enriches the viewer’s engagement, rendering Silent Friend a compelling and multifaceted cinematic experience.
The competition at the Venice Film Festival included a diverse array of works that tackle similar themes, yet Silent Friend distinguished itself through its unique narrative style and the depth of its character development and, in the context of contemporary cinema, it stands as a significant entry among films that explore the dynamics of human relationships and environmental consciousness. This exploration of the connections between humans and their surroundings resonates with current global discussions on environmental sustainability and the ethical treatment of the natural world. As such, Silent Friend not only contributes to the cinematic landscape but also engages with pressing societal issues, further enhancing its relevance and competitive edge within the festival circuit.
The narrative centres on a majestic Ginkgo tree in a German university botanical garden, witnessing the transformation of three human lives across different eras: 1908, 1972, and 2020. The first episode, shot in 35mm black and white, follows Grete, a young woman determined to pursue botanical studies despite the patriarchal attitudes of her time, becoming the first woman admitted to a university. The second story, set in 1972 and shot in 16mm colour, tells of Hannes, a shy young man more interested in literature than plants, whose life changes when he meets Gundula, a botany student who asks him to care for a geranium while she’s away. In 2020, shot digitally, the third story follows Tony, a neuroscientist who becomes intrigued by the ginkgo tree’s potential connections to human consciousness, leading him to connect with French botanist Alice via Zoom. The three stories intertwine beautifully, blurring time and space, with the tree as the sole connection.
The film is a contemplative exploration of the interconnectedness between humans and plants, showcasing stunning cinematography and a unique narrative structure. Its ability to convey complex emotions without dialogue, using silence to speak volumes, is striking. The performances are breath-taking, bringing authentic, relatable characters to life. In this film, many interpretations can likely be grasped.
There is a metaphor of our times, of isolation and the challenge of empathy. It may seem complex like everything that is not recognised, a suspension of reality for its essence, an indistinct landscape that belongs to lived experience, like the films of the director herself that explore eccentric territories, embarking even on risky deviations.
Silent Friend is a testament to filmmaking’s art, transcending language and cultural boundaries: a film that touches hearts and minds.
